Bournemouth Airport Passenger Reviews and Bournemouth Airport Customer opinions

I have flown from various airports in the UK but was persuaded to come all the way from Manchester to fly from Bournemouth. I have never seen anything like it, from been ripped off for because you to have to pay for parking to be dropped off and picked up to no information boards upon arrival to show you where to go and what check-in to use. They should be at the front entry points to the airport as in all other airports! At the time we returned there was only our flight in but it took ages for the baggage to appear and to clear passport control. I hope you don't need the toilet on your return, they only have 1 toilet for each sex and a toilet for the disabled in the baggage hall.

This is a small local airport that's very convenient for local people to use and avoid having to go to Gatwick or Heathrow. Southampton Airport is not very far away and the facilities there are so much better and they have a free drop off zone which is under cover. So much better than Bournemouth. The approach road into Bournemouth Airport has traffic cones all the way down each side and the centre of the road making it look like a motorway under repair and that's to prevent motorists stopping to drop people off without using their expensive car park. There's no pathway from the main road either so anyone dropped off outside the airport has no walkway but has to walk in the road instead and risk the dangers of traffic. This is not a customer friendly way of getting to the airport. Get rid of those cones and provide a free passenger drop off zone if you want repeat custom at the airport. Remember Southampton Airport is not far away.

I fly about a dozen times a year and this is the first time I have used Bournemouth Airport. I was searched at security on a random basis by a young man who must have been a trainee. He took over five minutes and clearly did not have a clue what he was doing. The experience was not pleasant and would be unheard of at any of the more used airports.

Most of these reviews seem to focus on the rip off parking system, comments with which I don't disagree. That said, I would happily pay 10 pounds to park/be dropped off if I thought there was even the faintest chance that I would make it onto an aircraft without getting into an argument with a pedant about the size or weight of my suitcase, or the plastic bag not surrounding my single pot of hair wax, or the failure to put my boarding pass inside the photo page of the passport, before having to practically take off all my clothes at x- ray and open and taste 8 pots of baby food, and be pushed around by a bunch of miserable, jobsworth staff in the longest queue for security ever seen in an airport with no passengers. I wish they would send the staff at BOH to a proper airport for an afternoon to learn the arts of applying the security and safety guidelines without patronizing and disrespecting all the paying public that pay their wages. This place is an absolute disgrace!

I used to enjoy flying from Bournemouth, but now it's a nightmare. Took 75 minutes from joining the check-in at 9.15am to the departure lounge. They could not handle 2 flights at 11.30. Heathrow is expected to deal with that amount of passengers every 5 minutes. Coming back was the same. Ryanair played their usual fanfare claiming the flight was 25 minutes ahead of schedule but we waited 45 minutes for our bags, so what was the point in being early? The baggage collection area resembled the inside of a warehouse like those dreadful Spanish airports of 30 years ago. The person who designed Bournemouth needs to go to Spain and learn how things can change!

What a miserable airport! The drop off charges are unacceptable. The new buildings are dark and unfriendly. What has happened to the lovely viewing area and the friendly cafe? Won't be hurrying back and would not tell anyone else to use it.

The meet and greet service that I paid an additional £10 plus is a joke. On returning from Cyprus we were in the first 25% to collect our bags and proceeded to collect the keys for our car. We returned to where we had parked the car and it was not there - I told my wife she must be mistaken and we searched the car park for a considerable amount of time before returning to the information desk where it became evident that the car had not been returned to the place we had left it. We paid for this service in order to get away as quickly as possible and were actually the last passengers to leave the airport from our flight at 02.05 in quite a stressed condition. I calculate that this delayed our departure from the airport by approximately 30 minutes and am extremely angry.

I had my first experience at Bournemouth recently, flying to Ibiza, and I have to say I thought it great - such a relief to be in a virtually empty airport! Everything was clean, well spaced out and well thought out, all services were quick and convenient, and I actually quite liked the food I had in the 'pub'! And a great duty free. In all I thought a really simple, clean, quick, un-stressful airport. Compared to Stansted, etc, it was a breeze.

Rip off drop off charges, expensive outdoor unsecured parking, poor public transport connections, no pedestrian access and that's just before you start! Inside the airport is like a huge hangar with rows of uncomfortable seating. The restaurant is terrible and there's no comfortable coffee shop. I much prefer Southampton which is so user friendly, however for convenience as local travellers we suffer the Bournemouth experience but protest by spending no money there!

Use this airport frequently as I fly out to Alicante to my holiday villa in Javea. It is very convenient for me as I live in Ringwood (6 miles away), great for getting there in 10 minutes. I can use the shuttle bus as pensioners get it free of charge. If a family member picks me up then I don't begrudge paying £2.50 as the saving in fuel and time is by far greater. The airport is small but has a restaurant with friendly service a newsagent and duty free, I have found the staff very polite and informative. Bournemouth is a great place and the airport is excellent.

A very poor experience today, dropping off my family for a flight, realising too late that I would be paying £2.50 to do so. There is no way to avoid it, no way to turn round. To cap it all, one of the ticket payment machines was out of order, so what might have been a two minute visit necessitated a walk to another machine to pay my £2.50. I really felt that I'd been screwed by a company that doesn't give two hoots for its customers. I will have to pay again next week to pick up my family, but that will be my last ever visit to Bournemouth.

I like this airport. Yes you have to pay £2.50 to drop and pick up but other regional airports now seem to be charging for this as well and I expect it will not be long before major airports follow suit. I save money by not having to travel to Heathrow or Gatwick and save again by being home before even reaching baggage claim in the major airports if my last experience is anything to go by. Bournemouth have helpful staff, except the UKBA staff most of whom could do with a refresher in customer service but as they don't work for the airport authority I think it churlish to mark them down on that score. I think where Bournemouth falls down a bit is in the food outlets. It would seem that the cafes and restaurants are run by the same firm, I think a bit of competition there might well improve things.

Bournemouth Airport is owned by Manchester Airport - we are charged 25 pence more for drop off charges (£2.50) than those of Manchester Airport (£2.25). I like travelling with Thomson they are a terrific outfit who will help at every opportunity but I don't like Bournemouth Airport. Over priced over rated and very disappointing. Looking to take my next business and holiday trips from Southampton and Bristol.

I am disabled and agreed to see my sister and her husband off on a flight but ended up queuing to enter the £2.50 drop off car park area as cars were waiting to leave the barriered entrance to the main airport as people (rightfully in my opinion) entered the lane approaching the car parking area barrier, dropping off there friends and families then reversing into oncoming traffic to exit the only road to this airport. Poorly designed system if you ask me. Just take the money with no regard or thought to the passengers who help keep an airport local let alone allowances to the disabled or elderly. I will definitely try to avoid coming to the airport again which is a shame because the new building area is an improvement on the old. All of my score ratings to your questions reflect a person dropping off friends or relatives.

We paid for parking in advance and struggled to find parking on the day. You cannot get your money back for luggage trolleys taken from inside the terminal building in the car park unless you can find another trolley which has had to be abandoned. Staff are unhelpful and the customer service desk is unmanned both physically and telephonically. We have been struggling to get hold of the airport for 4 days regarding an urgent matter. We had issues the first time we used the airport 2 years ago, but decided to try it again. I would rather travel to Southampton or London airports.

I agree with everyone about the ridiculous 'Drop off con' but once inside the airport the only restaurant (The Olive Tree) dishes up very poor quality food. Even a McDonalds would be an improvement! I will not be using Bournemouth Airport again until they eventually realise the 'Drop off charge' is a dreadful rip off and stop it and I would only buy a meal in the airport when The Olive tree has been replaced by a 'Garfunkels' or better. The excuse by the airport authorities about the 'Drop off' situation being imposed because of the Glasgow bombings is so pathetic it's laughable!

Bournemouth airport not only charge for drop off but also pick up as well absolutely disgraceful, if anyone is visiting our country for the first time what a great impression. No access for pedestrians! Therefore can only assume it is a total rip off. No wonder airlines are avoiding coming to this airport - no doubt the authorities are charging aircraft exorbitant rates as well. When will they learn? The public will avoid this airport like the plague and then everyone will be sorry. Southampton airport here we come.

Went to Turkey last August and will be going to turkey this August from Bournemouth. No hanging around at check-in and no hanging around when we returned home. For those who moan about the 2.50 drop off charge, pay the extra in fuel and go to Gatwick or Heathrow and wait 2 hours to get through security and on your return, wait another 2 hrs to get through security and baggage reclaim, parking will cost you a lot more than £2.50. £2.50 is such a small price to pay - very satisfied Bournemouth airport traveller.

I use this airport on a fairly regular basis as it is just a few miles from home. To avoid the ridiculous "drop- off" charge I usually get dropped off at the end of the approach road and walk the last 300 yds. There is no pedestrian access to this airport and you have to walk in the road. Cones have been placed in the middle to prevent cars from turning around as a direct tactic to raise revenue. I find it amazing that a major public amenity has been granted planning permission with no safe access for pedestrians and cyclists. One day someone is going to get run over!

This is possibly the worst UK airport. They charge for everything to try and recoup the investment they made in new terminals. Pedestrians are pretty well banned and motorists face a charge of £2.50 for a 30 second drop off. Disgraceful is too kind a word! The toilets were disgusting when I visited and staff are disgruntled and aggressive. Avoid Bournemouth at all cost.

As a regular flier to the south of the UK I often used Bournemouth but that was until they introduced the criminal theft of 2.50 GBP for dropping off or picking up. I now use other airports as a matter of principle. I absolutely refuse to be ripped off by these extortionate charges. I visit the UK around 6 times a year and now I actively boycott Bournemouth.

All I wanted to do was drop off a friend - I ended up paying £4 for the privilege of doing so! As you enter the airport, there are double red lines everywhere so you cannot just stop and let someone out. No room to turn around once you have entered, so you have to go through the car park and pay a minimum of £2.50 - up to an hour is £4! The only other routes into the airport that I am aware of are limited - a bus service that runs only once an hour from Bournemouth (£5) or by taxi. I am amazed that they are legally allowed to get away with this. I left Bournemouth Airport feeling like I had been mugged - I doubt I am the only one.

Not only was I incensed by the £2.50 charge when I only wanted to drop passengers off, I then tried to pay at the machine only to be told 'ticket already in use' I then had to go into the airport and queue at information! So what was a 30 second drop off ended up being 20 minutes and an extra person wandering around the airport. Absolutely disgusting! I don't care if it's 'local' I will never use Bournemouth airport again.

These charges speak volumes as to the airport's attitude towards it's passengers! Your local caring airport? Its a joke! They really picked a good way to encourage us to support it. Unfortunately this leaves rather a sour taste in the mouth when reviewing the rest of the airports facilities.

Parking and drop off charges make this an airport of last resort, no wonder there are so few flights these days especially in winter. No viable public transport access, no pedestrian access make this a disgrace to the town. Try Southampton it's much more customer friendly.

I agree with all comments about rip off drop off charges. After years off travelling from the friendliest airport, I will be making every effort to go somewhere else in the future.

The £2.50 drop off charge is not acceptable. I thought they were trying to encourage people to use this airport. This does just the opposite! Don't they get the message all these disgruntled passengers are sending? Maybe they just don't care.

Drop off and collection charges? This is a shameless extortion to filch every last penny from customers! They only get away with it because there is no alternative, you have a captive audience and take advantage. The major airports do not charge, neither does Southampton, a point not missed by me and my travelling companions.

I have just dropped some friends off at the airport and was disgusted to see the airport wanted to charge me £2.50 to drive through the car park even though I had not got out of the car or even turned off the engine. This is a rip off, if I needed to park I would be happy to pay this charge but a 30 second drop off / pick up option is not an unreasonable expectation. We are you customers Bournemouth Airport and this is destroying your reputation.

I drove a friend from Portsmouth to Bournemouth this morning. I couldn't believe that I had to pay £2.50 just to drop her off at the terminal. This is extortion. When I questioned the guy on the security barrier he said "you've got 30 minutes so you can buy a coffee". I said I need to get back to work so only want to drop my friend off. Shocking, particularly the bollards placed to try and prevent customers walking the 100yds in. It doesn't work - people were still walking in. I will most certainly never use Bournemouth airport myself - its Gatwick/Heathrow or Southampton for me.

Bournemouth Airport is following in O'Learys footsteps and charging customers for anything they can think of - £2.50 to drop someone off (taking a few seconds) is about the most unwelcoming thing I've ever encountered in my travels.

Drop off charge? Madness! It is unfortunate that the airport lost airlines and routes shortly after investing in an airport upgrade, but making the airport less attractive to potential customers by introducing such a charge is not the way to boost volumes and recover expenditure. I have recently been using Southampton airport - far more routes now - and no drop off charge!

We feel this an excellent airport for local travellers, but we are very disappointed to find that when dropping someone off there is a charge of £2.50. We feel you need to look at this as it could make a difference through principal that we choose to fly from Gatwick Airport in the future.

Absurd drop off/pick up parking charges, my husband has been down twice within a week to drop off and meet his sister from an Alicante flight and it's cost him £5.00 for a 5 minute favour. Totally disgusting. Southampton doesn't do this, why does Bournemouth have to? There's going to be havoc with people walking to entrance to meet their lifts - what will the consequences be then? Crazy!

I echo others astonishment at the draconian policy of extorting money from all who drop off or collect passengers at the airport. I also pose this thought: the airport has, contrary to every usual current policy, deliberately made walking along the approach road more dangerous, forcing pedestrians onto the road. So, when an accident happens and a pedestrian is injured as a result, how will the courts respond? Will the airport, by virtue of its policy in this matter, be liable to pay damages?

Glad to see rip of Britain goes from strength to strength. Stop this absurd drop off charge - the main airports don't do it so why do Bournemouth? Bournemouth need to encourage new passengers, not drive them away. Whoever decided this, has not thought this through.

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  3/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  3/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities